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Kent Hughes' Plan to Visit Ivan Demidov Could Cause Major Rift in the Organization With Other Prospects
Photo credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images
Montreal Canadiens GM Kent Hughes will soon head to Europe, to the KHL, to meet Ivan Demidov.
Demidov, one of the team's most promising prospects, doesn't seem entirely comfortable there at the moment.
Announced at the pre-season golf tournament, this visit aims to build trust with Demidov, who currently plays in the KHL for SKA Saint Petersburg.
An Important Trip for Kent Hughes, for the Future of Ivan Demidov
Hughes is accompanied by Nick Bobrov, who has strong contacts in the KHL and can help facilitate the meeting.
This move is strategic, as Demidov could face pressure to sign a new contract there, which is something they clearly want to avoid.
While this trip presents a great chance to strengthen the relationship between the Canadiens and Demidov, other prospects like Bogdan Konyushkov and Yevgeni Volokhin might feel overlooked.
Mathias Brunet noted that these two young talents likely won't receive a visit from management due to time constraints.
«In fact, this visit was planned for this summer.
The news came out when Demidov was playing less, and there was speculation about whether we wanted to bring him over. NO! It was planned; initially, we thought we might meet with Volochkin and Konyushkov.
And I think, due to lack of time, we won't do it. But truly, I think getting the player more familiarized will be up to Hughes and Bobrov.
You don't want to upset the KHL either. You're really going there to meet the player, build connections, and eventually, hopefully, not face any resistance in bringing Demidov over so he can join the Canadiens for training camp.»
Mathias Brunet on Hughes and Bobrov's meeting
The news came out when Demidov was playing less, and there was speculation about whether we wanted to bring him over. NO! It was planned; initially, we thought we might meet with Volochkin and Konyushkov.
And I think, due to lack of time, we won't do it. But truly, I think getting the player more familiarized will be up to Hughes and Bobrov.
You don't want to upset the KHL either. You're really going there to meet the player, build connections, and eventually, hopefully, not face any resistance in bringing Demidov over so he can join the Canadiens for training camp.»
Mathias Brunet on Hughes and Bobrov's meeting
This could create a gap with these players, as Konyushkov hinted earlier in the season when he expressed feeling like a second-tier prospect.
Hughes and Bobrov will need to manage this trip carefully to avoid damaging relationships with other important Russian prospects.
The visit is part of a broader strategy to secure Demidov's future in the NHL, with hopes he'll don the Canadiens' colors as soon as next season.
At 18, Demidov has an impressive 19 points in 25 games this season in the KHL, despite some questionable usage by his head coach.
Previously on Habs Fanatics
| POLL | ||
NOVEMBRE 10 | 1227 ANSWERS Kent Hughes' Plan to Visit Ivan Demidov Could Cause Major Rift in the Organization With Other Prospects Do you think Kent Hughes should try to bring Ivan Demidov to the NHL right now? | ||
| Yes | 805 | 65.6 % |
| No | 422 | 34.4 % |
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